Fifth Sunday of Easter (B)

When Saul had come to Jerusalem,
he tried to join himself to the disciples;
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him,
and brought him to the Apostles,
and declared to them
how he had seen the Lord on the way,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how at Damascus
he had preached boldly
in the name of Jesus.

He was with them in Jerusalem, moving freely,
preaching boldly
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,
but they were seeking to kill him.
When the brothers knew it,
they brought him down to Caesarea,
and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the assemblies throughout
all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace,
and were built up.
They were multiplied,
walking in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial - Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 Resp. 26a

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

I will pay my vows before those who fear the Lord.
The humble shall eat and be satisfied.
They shall praise the Lord who seek after him.
May your hearts live forever.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
shall worship before you.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

They shall eat and worship
all the rich ones of the earth.
All those shall bow before him,
who go down to the dust.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

To him my soul shall live.
Posterity shall serve him.
Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
They shall declare to a people that yet to be born,
his righteousness that he has done.

R. My praise comes from you, Lord, in the great assembly. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – 1 John 3.18-24

My little children,
Let us not love in word only,
nor with the tongue only,
but in deed and truth.

By this we know that we are of the truth,
and persuade our hearts before him,
because if our heart condemns us,
God is greater than our heart,
and knows all things.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God;
and whatever we ask,
we receive from him,
because we keep his commandments
and do the things
that are pleasing in his sight.

This is his commandment:
that we should believe
in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another,
even as he commanded.
They who keep his commandments
remains in him, and he in them.
By this we know
that he remains in us:
by the Spirit which he gave us.

Gospel – John 15.1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine,
and my Father is the farmer.
Every branch in me
that does not bear fruit,
he takes away.
Every branch that bears fruit,
he prunes,
so that it may bear more fruit.

You are already pruned
because of the word
which I have spoken to you.
Remain on me, as I remain on you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you,
unless you remain on me.

I am the vine. You are the branches.
They who remain on me, and I on them,
bear much fruit,
for apart from me
you can do nothing.

If someone does not remain on me,
they are thrown out as a branch and wither,
and they gather them,
throw them into the fire,
and they are burned.
If you remain on me,
and my words remain on you,
you will ask whatever you desire,
and it will be done for you.

In this is my Father glorified:
that you bear much fruit;
and so you will be my disciples.”